<p>BARTOW | A Kissimmee man pleaded guilty Tuesday to fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend and leaving her body in a wooded area on the Polk County side of Poinciana.</p><p>Without a deal in place, Steven Louis pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Nicole Fields, 26, of Orlando.</p><p>Circuit Judge Michael E. Raiden will decide what punishment is appropriate at a two-hour sentencing hearing on Jan. 3.</p><p>The judge warned Louis, 29, that he could receive up to life in prison.</p><p>"The thing that needs to be emphasized here is that there is no plea bargain in this case," Raiden said.</p><p>"What you're doing effectively is throwing yourself on the mercy of the court," the judge said.</p><p>The judge said he would review evidence, and listen to testimony at the sentencing hearing before making a decision.</p><p>"I'm not making you any promises of what I'm going to do," Raiden said. "Is that clear?"</p><p>"Yes, sir," Louis replied.</p><p>Louis and Fields, who had a daughter together, got into an argument because he was behind on child support, and the confrontation turned deadly, according to an arrest report.</p><p>Fields' mother reported her missing on Nov. 3, 2011, and authorities began looking for her, the report states.</p><p>The next day, deputies in Monroe County found Louis driving Fields' 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass, and he refused to stop.</p><p>He drove off a boat ramp and was treated at a hospital for swallowing water, the report states.</p><p>Under questioning, Louis told investigators that he and Fields began arguing and hitting each other.</p><p>He told detectives that he stabbed her multiple times with a folding knife, the report states.</p><p>Louis described the area where he left her, and authorities recovered Fields' body on Nov. 10, 2011.</p><p> </p><p>[ Jason Geary can be reached at jason.geary@theledger.com or 863-802-7536. ]</p>